Haunted

All because of a screwed up past

Clay POV

"Shit."

My heart was racing, I was rushing upstairs and up to the attic. Nick not far behind looking panicked.

"William!?" I yelled, frantic. "William!?"

I broke into the attic, to see Wil on the floor, holding a crumpled paper in his hands. He tensed when he heard me and Nick behind him.

"Will—" I started.

"He left?" He asked, sounding broken. His voice hoarse, as though he had been crying.

"William—" I tried once more.

"He left. And you didn't tell me." It was no longer a question, but an accusation. He wasn't broken right now, he was sad. He was furious—at me.

"William, let me explai—" I started, trying to get my words out before he interrupted again.

"He left. And you didn't tell me." He repeated once more.

"I was scared of how you would react!" I reasoned.

"How I would react!?" He boomed. He turned around, standing up. His eyes were bloodshot, but they held a fury in them I had never seen before. "Clay! I have a right to know! Especially if I was the reason he left."

"That's not..." I trailed off, trying to form a sentence. "You know it's not your fault, Wil."

"It is!"

"It's not."

"Read the letter! Read the fucking letter! It is!"

He threw the note at me, and started to walk out the door, when Nick stood in front of it, his face not holding the same laughter it typically did.

"William. Soot." He commanded. "Listen to Clay, just hear him out."

"Fine." He finally agreed. "You have one minute."

"When you found out you left them the first time you were upset, I know in this life you lost your brother and knowing that your real one left would tear you up." I explained. "I knew you would think that's why he left, but it's not. It's because he has to reach acceptance."

"Acceptance of what, Clay?"

"Well..."

"Acceptance of me leaving! I can't...I can't do this." He broke down again. He was like JD in heathers, angry, hurt, broken, insane.  One thought crossed my mind; He looked like Wilbur. "I broke the curse of you dying young, but I can't do this anymore."

"Wil, where are you going?" I reached out for his hand, but he pulled it away sharply.

"Somewhere."

"Wilbur—" I stopped short, realizing what I had said. It seems I was not the only one who realized.

"You did it again." He murmered, just above a whisper. Being for straightening up, and turning around to stare daggers at me. "You fucking did it again."

"I didn't mean to—I was just—I"

"You what, Clay? You what?"

"You remind me of him right now." I finally admitted. "You're leaving, you're abandoning everyone. Don't be him."

"Maybe I already am."

Those words shook me. Those words broke me. He said he wasn't that guy, he would abandon me. Just then, I knew where he was going.

"Let him go, Clay." Nick said. "He'll come back, won't he?"

"If he survives." I said starting my descent down the stairs. I heard the door slam downstairs. He was gone. "But I don't think he will."

"Clay?" Nick was close behind me as we went down the second set. "What are you talking about?"

"He's going to the beach."

"And? What's wrong with going there. You go there all the time."

"Cliffs—there are cliffs there, right?"

"I think so? I don't know, you go there more than I do."

"Shit."

"Clay, what's going on?" I raced out the door as soon as I got too it.

"Clay! Where are you going!? You don't even have shoes on!" He was shouting after me, but I raced down the side walk after the reincarnated ghost.

I wove in and out of people with an adrenaline like none before. William must have seen or heard me because he broke into a sprint matching mine. He still was ahead of me even though it only took me seconds to realize. But seconds may be too long.

As I turned the corner and started up the cliffs, I caught a glimpse of Nick, Tubbo, and Ranboo racing after me. All of them had a look of terror and confusion.

As William started to jump I caught his arm. Although he was barely in the air, but the momentum was enough. He was hanging halfway on the cliff, as I held him for dear life, praying I could pull him up.

"Clay, let go," he begged. "Please just let go, if I die—when I die—I may be a ghost again. I may remember, I can go find Tommy. I—I can bring him home."

"It's not your fault he left," I said, as he started to slip and I struggled to keep him up. "Work with me here. You can't die, please you can't die. Not here, not yet, not after everything we've had and been through."

"I'm sorry," He said. He started to try and climb back up, and when I finally pulled him up. "I'm sorry, I'm so sorry."

"Don't f*cking do that again!" I cried. Hitting him, and crying into his chest.

"I know, I know, I'm sorry." He murmured softly. "I'm sorry, but It's not right to leave without saying goodbye."

"Without a goodbye?" I asked. "Wil? William what are you doing."

"I love you, okay? I love you, and I always will. You deserve to be happy," He smiled, a tear rolling down his cheek. "But I can't do this anymore. Not when I know I'm at fault."

"You aren't, you—you know you aren't, please," I said frantically looking at him as he started to get up, and I followed. "No more empty promises, remember? You said you would always be here, you're always going to be here to listen, remember? You can't do this Wil, please don't do this."

"I'm sorry," he smiled a bittersweet smile and turned to face me again. He was at the edge of the cliff again. "We'll meet again in your next life, but I have to try. Goodbye, Clay."

With that, he took a final step back and fell. I raced after him, and took a leap of faith. He looked up terrified and startled. It soon turned into a crumpled bittersweet smile as he held out his arms for an embrace.

He caught me as we fell.

He held me as we hit the waves

He held me when we sunk.

And he held me when we came to the train station.

Word count: 1101
EYYYYY IS THIS ANOTHER CHAPTER SO SOON! I know guys I'm that good at life and definitely did not already have all the dialogue written out from forever ago.....ANYWAYS please leave a comment and a vote!